The use of wheelchairs by disabled or elderly persons is widespread and is likely to increase due to the advances in medicine which have contributed to a prolonged life expectancy and a general aging of the population. Consequently, there is an increasing need for aids such as wheelchairs.
A wheelchair is a relatively expensive device and a rather delicate item which has numerous moving parts. It is therefore desirable to protect a wheelchair during transportation or storage.
It is frequently the case that the transportation of a wheelchair by motor vehicle is desired. In the past, when transportation of a wheelchair by motor vehicle was undertaken, in order to protect the wheelchair from the elements, it was usually required that a wheelchair be placed inside the vehicle. This meant that the transportation of wheelchairs was limited to vehicles large enough to accommodate a wheelchair, and that less room was available in the vehicle for passengers. Placement inside the vehicle also meant that the wheelchair had to be lifted into the interior of said van or other vehicle. Since wheelchairs are relatively heavy devices, such lifting is difficult if not impossible for a disabled person, as well as being difficult for even an able-bodied person involved in the transportation of a wheelchair. Thus, the technique for transporting a wheelchair in the interior of a vehicle has been found to be unsatisfactory.
Another technique used in the past for transportation of a wheelchair involved placement of a wheelchair onto a roof rack on top of the motor vehicle where the wheelchair was exposed to the elements. Such exposure is most undesirable.
One object of the invention is to provide a cover. When providing a cover to entirely enclose a wheelchair and protect it from the elements, special problems arise. One such problem arises in placing the cover on the wheelchair. Placing such a cover on a wheelchair normally would require one to lift the wheelchair -- a difficult task for the infirm, and an arduous task for those assisting the infirm. Other special problems arise in providing a weatherproof cover which can be attached easily and securely to the outside structures of vehicles, such as to the luggage and bicycle racks ordinarily attached to motor vehicles.